Halloween But All Tricks

The freak winter storm we had on Saturday took away all of my electricity. I woke up to a cold house and no lights.

With no distractions like TV or internet, I left the house earlier than normal. I thought I would stop by the li'l Starbucks in N. Billerica to get a coffee.

They were closed. No power. NO COFFEE.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:25
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Clear, cold, 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.43
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: No

Costume Friday

We have a Halloween party at the office today. I am not in costume but I did bring beer in a briefcase. I guess a bit of disguise.


------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:32
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, cold
Shady Gas Price: $3.43
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Rain is pain when you miss your train

So yeah, I did leave the house a little later than usual but not tremendously late.

Once I got on to the highway, I knew it was going to be a tight squeeze.

Cars merging on and off 495 were the issue. Big trucks made things worse.

I got to the train station right in time to watch it pull into the station. I wasn't going to catch this one.

So I went to Starbucks and bought a coffee to make things better.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:37
Departure Time From Train Station 7:26
Arrival Time at North Station: 8:08
Weather as I call it: Rain
Shady Gas Price: $3.43
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 5
Feared for my life: No

3 Stops Before Work

I got off the train and I needed to go to CVS. There is a new location near North Station. Super convenient.

I stopped at Clover Food Labs and got their oatmeal with fruit. It had lots of pears and it was delicious.

I stopped again to avoid the small raindrops falling from the sky...and then I choose to move quickly into the building.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:31
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, cold, some rain
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Parking Close

I parked near the payment "machine" since I knew I was going to an event at night and would not need to drive fast out of the parking lot to avoid the rush. I am always amazed at the small amount of cars in the parking lot at 10PM. Nobody stays out any more.


------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:33
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:43
Weather as I call it: Sunnyish, 40s
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Sam Wasn't Happy

So the morning started ok. I got to the station in plenty of time even though there was a flatbed truck doing his very best to slow everyone down.

As I was walking up to the station, the purple warning lights started to chime and blink. There was a train approaching. It turned out to be the inbound train so I didn't have to run for it. Some other people did and crossed the tracks a little too close for the engineer's comfort. He blasted his horn as hard as he could and barreled through the station at 60 miles per hour.

Once I got on the inbound train, things were good until Winchester when li'l Sam got on and cried for the rest of the trip. I think he may have fallen. There were bad conductor jokes and band-aids involved. It made for a loud train ride.


------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:35
Departure Time From Train Station 7:00
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:43
Weather as I call it: Clear but colder, 30s
Shady Gas Price: $3.47
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3.5
Feared for my life: No

Rain May Be In The Forecast

...but I am liking that today is my Friday. Yeah, I am taking two days off this week.

I have some stuff planned with the family and I am looking forward to getting some things done around the house and in the yard.

Have fun commuting for the rest of the week.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:32
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7;45
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, rain coming.
Shady Gas Price: $3.55
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Every Day There Is More To See

The Charles River park that is on the other side of the Zakim Bridge is starting to look more like a park and less like rubble.

The grass is really green. I hear that grass grows best in the fall.

Drive, Train Ride, and Walk were all good. I wore my jacket which was nice.



------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:33
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Cloudy and cool
Shady Gas Price: $3.53
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

I Miscalculated The Temperature

I didn't put on a jacket this morning. I wish I had. It was bearable but waiting for the train would have been a little more comfortable with a jacket.

I have been colder. There are days in the winter where the wind is blowing and my body is shaking because it's so cold.

Today I should have worn a jacket. Tomorrow I will.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:32
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Sunny, cool, jacket weather
Shady Gas Price: $3.53
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: No

Hey Ho Rain Again

Yeah, there was more rain today. It really started to come down when I was leaving the house and then it stopped.

While waiting for the train, there was a break. I didn't have to stand there getting soaked.

The walk was good and dry. I had some issues with the bottom of my pants but overall much drier and more comfortable than yesterday.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:35
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Rainy-ish. 60s
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Wash Out

The rain was coming down this morning. I don't remember having to use my umbrella so much last year.

It would rain during different points in the day but lately it seems to have been coming down in buckets during the morning commute.

The bottom of my pants and my shoes were soaked when I walked in this morning. Yuck.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:33
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Rainy. 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3
Feared for my life: No

Fried Chicken and Beer

I was running ahead of schedule today. I had plenty of time for my breakfast and packing a lunch. I had dollar bills y'all for the parking fee. It's was a good morning from an everything-lining-up-and-going-as-planned-perspective.

I read the whole article in the Globe this morning about how the Sox pitchers were eating KFC and drinking beer and playing video games in the clubhouse while the rest of the team was losing out on the field.

It's a shame, really...but when you think you can do whatever you want...people choose the easy, fun route rather than the tough, just route.

And Jason Varitek doesn't want reporters calling him at home.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:31
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Cloudy, cool, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Loose Change Bad Checks Anything

I had to search around for some change to make up 2 dollars of my four dollar parking fee.

With 6 quarters and 5 dimes, I was able to feed the slot. I pray the fee collectors can add.

The train was filled with people again and it seemed like a typical morning.


------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:37
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Sunny, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Quiet Car

I think every car on the train was the quiet car. There weren't many people on the train and it was silent.

I used to like to work on Columbus day when I was driving. Taking the train, it's sad. You feel like everyone else is in on the joke and you're being laughed at.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:36
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:40
Weather as I call it: Sunny, cool
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 1
Feared for my life: No

Another cold morning but above freezing is tolerable to this old New Englander. Give me some temps that are below freezing and some wind that blows and some blinding snow and I might complain a little.

These mornings are welcome. There wasn't any frost on my window to scrape off. I will take it.

A work filled week - finally coming to a close. Yay. See you on Monday.

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:37
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Cold, but sunny. 35°F
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

The Sketchy Characters

There were a good number of sketchy characters on street corners this morning on the walk to work. Usually it's just me staring at people as they walk by, but today I was joined with older gentlemen in trench coats standing around for whatever reason looking at people as they walk by. I think I saw three people who fit that description.

Was there a national holiday for our tribe that I missed?

------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:36
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:41
Weather as I call it: Sunny but cold. 38°F
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Home Is Wherever I'm With You

Yes, after the rain - the sun pours out of the sky. The leaves are starting to show their color. The air is crisp and I get to wear my favorite jacket.

Ah New England - your winters are awful. We know that. I have lived places where the winters are not that bad so I know it can be better.

But your autumns, your autumns make it worth it. It is the pay off and it is the best time of the year.


------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:37
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Sunny, windy, 50s
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No

Scotch N' Sirloin

The rain was coming down this morning and there were reports of flooding all around the North Shore. None of my commuting was affected. My walk from North Station to the office was nice.

I have noticed it in the past but this is the first time I have discussed on the ol' blog. There is an old sign for a restaurant called the Scotch N' Sirloin. I think it closed a while ago but the sign remains. If the sign could talk, would it speak of the bygone era of men eating steak and drinking scotch on a regular basis driving on the elevated Central Artery in Boston?



------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:34
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:42
Weather as I call it: Rainy then not so much
Shady Gas Price: $3.45
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 3 - rain stinks
Feared for my life: No

Hey She Is Back

The woman who ride on the train with me for many months is back.
She still has her boy and stroller in tow...but now she also had a little girl. Sweet!
------------------------------

Departure Time From Home: 6:30
Departure Time From Train Station 6:59
Arrival Time at North Station: 7:44
Weather as I call it: Cloudy
Shady Gas Price: $3.49
Level of commute annoyance (scale of 1 to 10): 2
Feared for my life: No